"The 2009 Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard is one of the more understated wines in this lineup. It also shows a bit more freshness and brightness than the other 2009s. Tangerine, mint, light floral honey and spices are all beautifully layered into the detailed, nuanced finish. The French oak is better balanced here than in the Reuling, which allows the fruit to show the fullest breadth of its personality. Here, too, the finish seems to expand in every direction. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017."

Aubert is a small Chardonnay and Pinot Noir estate that makes wine from single-vineyard sites in Napa Valley and Sonoma. It was founded by Mark and Teresa Aubert in 1999, and is considered to be one of California's cult producers, and is only available through mailing list or from certain restaurants, due to its consistently high scores from critics.

Mark Aubert graduated the University of California Fresno in 1985, and was appointed as the assistant winemaker at Monticello. After meeting the famous winemaker Helen Turley at a tasting group, he became her assistant winemaker at Peter Michael, taking over the reins when she left to start Colgin Cellars. He eventually became the winemaker there as well. At Peter Michael, Aubert became known for his Chardonnay, and decided that he wanted to create his own label focusing on the variety.

The first vintage of Aubert was in 2000 – a Chardonnay sourced from the Ritchie Vineyard in Russian River Valley. It quickly received acclaim for its full-blown, hedonistic style. By 2014, Aubert's portfolio increased to an array of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, sourced from eight different vineyard sites in Russian River. The wines were made at Laird Family Vineyards, a custom crush facility in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, until a winery in 2011 was completed in Calistoga.